Charm Of Sensuality

Chapter 14

Eden sprinted down into her childhood home, tears racing down her cheeks. She sobbed hard, her body shaking with the force of it. She ran a busy hand through her hair before staggering toward her grandparents' old room. She walked inside, slamming and locking the door behind her. She climbed onto the bed and balled herself up, crying into the soft, fleece comforter.

She was more terrified than she had ever been. It was all so real, this was a reality that she could not escape. A future that wasn't hers to decide was much more gut wrenching than she had ever thought it would be. She had always lived her life in the moment. Things were never different. Every day was virtually the same and it had been that way since she was a child.

There was normalcy in human life, idleness that was comfortable. But now that hers was being disrupted, she saw it. She noticed all the things that she had taken for granted, all the things that she had wanted to do and never done, all the things that she dreamed and never sought.

And now, in a matter of days, her whole life had been reduced to a blur of memory. Memory that felt false.

She cried until her throat felt sore and even then, she cried some more. Once she was all dried out she stayed still, lying motionless on the bed.

Could she run from this? She pondered.

No.

Where would she go?

They would find her eventually...no matter where she attempted to run off to.

A part of her silently chastised her grandparents. The had raised her. They had known this day would come and they hadn't prepared her. The guise of protecting her had left her vulnerable and unprepared. Though she knew their reasoning, she couldn't help but wonder, why? Why hadn't they told her sooner?

And now they were gone and she was all alone in the world. Wielding some kind of magic inside her that made her valuable. That made her something other's wanted to control. She was tired of feeling helpless and tapped beneath the weight of it.

Despite the anger inside her, she desperately longed to be wrapped in her grandparent's arms. Locked in the safety they had created, even if it was all a lie. Even if it was all just an elaborate illusion made with their own spells and charms.

As she laid, several more tears escaped her, running down the side of her face. Leaving behind an obvious trail.

Minutes passed by in quick procession as she laid there, her chest aching, her stomach feeling empty.

"How long are you going to lay there pitying yourself?"

She gasped, sitting up and crawling back so fast it was a wonder she didn't fall off the bed.

Kane stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the nearest wall, his dark eyes assessing her.

"Leave me alone."

"Don't be foolish. Now isn't the time for all this self-pity."

Her face twisted up and she grabbed a pillow and tossed it at him. It hit his chest before falling to the floor. "I said leave me alone! How did you even get in here?"

He tsked, a frown on his handsome face. "You think locking the door could keep me out?"

She picked up another pillow and threw it at him, her eyes watering once more. "I hate this!" She snapped, grabbing for the next pillow.

He made a beeline for her, snatching the pillow out of her hands. "Calm down."

"No!" She cried, "Why me? I've never been mean to anyone, I want raised that way, I-I... am I being punished for something? I don't want this." She pounded on his chest, her lips trembling.

"I want this to all be a dream. I want to wake up... and I want this to all be a bad dream."

He grabbed her by the shoulders, "Stop crying. You're stronger than this. I know you are."

She shook her head, tears racing down each cheek.

He swallowed the lump forming in his throat. God, it hurt to see her in so much pain. He knew this would happen. He had seen it coming the moment he laid eyes on her.

"You can't cry like this tonight, Eden. If you even remotely show them a sign of weakness, they'll break you. I can't protect you from that."

She sucked in a breath, giving him a look of confusion. "Tonight?" Her voice was small and whisper like as she spoke.

His grip on her shoulder's tightened, he wouldn't lie to her. Nor would he sugar coat her fate. "I'm delivering you to the league tonight. Your ceremony is happening today."

Her eyes widened and she placed her hands on his chest, trying to push him away. "No... No!"

She fought him for a while, until he shook her, rattling her. "Stop this."

"You said you would protect me!" She screamed at him.

He yanked her close, unable to help himself. He kissed her cheek, kissing her tears away, shushing her softly. She turned her head, pounding on his chest, "No... don't, don't do that to me!"

He pulled away to give her a serious look, his eyes were virtually unreadable. "You think I want to take you to them? Huh? Do you really think that?"

She stayed silent.

"They are going to tear you in two. They're going to corrupt the balance that makes you whole. They're going to pluck you and then let you wither... you're too good for this, Eden. You're too good for any of this. That includes me. I have no choice but to deliver you tonight. Because if I don't, someone else will. Someone who doesn't care about your wellbeing or being gentle will drag you kicking and screaming. You can't stop this, or escape it, Eden. So, stop crying." He said truthfully, "Stop those tears and get a hold of yourself, damn it. In the dark realm tears will get you nothing. I know you are stronger than this, you know that too."

He let go of her shoulders and took a step back, offering her his hand. "Come on, sweetheart."

She shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself before meeting his eyes. His gaze was hard, unwavering. Her hands trembled but still she reached for his out stretched hand. A soft smile lit his face and he pulled her up.

She slid from the bed, standing before him, their bodies inches from being pressed together.

"We have to go now." He said softly, as if trying to soothe a skittish animal.

She looked up at him with wide eyes. Fear emanating from their whiskey brown depths.

"I can't prolong this anymore. And you can't continue to pretend like it's not real. Remember what I'm telling you, Eden. No tears in front of them."